The Milam Residence was completed in 1961 and named after Arthur W. Milam, the philanthropist who commissioned the project.[4] It was designed in the style of the Sarasota Modern by architect Paul Rudolph.[4] Rudolph designed almost 60 homes in Florida, and the Milam Residence was the last one. The home appears on the cover of Rudolph's 2002 book, Paul Rudolph: The Florida Houses.[3] In 1963, the home was named one of Architectural Record's 20 "Record Houses".[1][4]
Rudolph returned to design other outbuildings when Milam was married in 1969: the additions included a small guest house, a three-car garage, and a swimming pool.[5] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.[6]
The building was put up for sale in 2017 and 2020.[7] Jonathan and Sheila Lee Davies purchased the building for $3.45 million, approximately $1 million under the asking price.[8] Sheila Lee Davies, an Atlanta-based architect, planned to repair the building at an estimated cost of $1.3 million.[3]
Design
The ocean-facing facade of squares and rectangles
The home has 6,858 square feet (637.1 m2) and sits on 2 acres (0.81 ha), 60 feet (18 m) above the Atlantic Ocean. It has four bedrooms and two bathrooms.[5]
Rudolph designed the home with an orthogonal facade; the geometric shapes are a striking and unusual visual element.[9] The building has been referred to as an example of late modernist and Cubist architecture.[8] The squares and rectangles are not only a striking visual element, they also serve a purpose by providing shade to the interior rooms. The large overhang and side extension of the facade elements provide shade for the building interior.[9] Additionally, the large openings have floor to ceiling glass which deflect sun and wind.[4] The Milam Residence was the first residential property designed by Rudolph which included air conditioning. The air conditioning allowed Rudolph to design the home without worrying about the Florida weather.[10]
The Sarasota School of Architecture was known for designing buildings with straight lines, and seamless transitions between indoor-outdoor spaces. The architects of that school attempted to make use of natural elements like wind and outdoor light.[11] In keeping with the Sarasota ideology, Rudolph tried to connect the inside and outside spaces with the design.[12] One example of this method is where he designed the home with terrazzo floors matching the color of the nearby sand.[3]
The interior has rooms which are elongated and parallel to the ocean with large windows.[9] The home has been referred to as "The House of Seven Levels". The interior features built-in storage and level changes.[3] There are functional interior floor-level changes: a sunken living room. There are also level changes in ceiling height: a lowered ceiling in some areas and raised ceiling in others.[9]
^ ab"A Sculptured House of Concrete Block"(PDF). Architectural Record. Mid May 1963 (Architectural Record Houses of 1963): 70–73. 1963. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
^"Milam, Arthur house". National Register of Historic Places. United States Department of the Interior National Park Service. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
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